>> i think this is being abused.

that's one thing i wanted to see changed. i discussed with angela and frederik reinfeldt in sweden. the sorts of changes we want are achievable over the coming years. sorry, i jumped in there. >> yeah, a few months ago we were discussing from 2014 to 2020 the budget even i didn't quite know we would be able to get it through, because the obstacles seemed in our mountable and that showed the fact that we were able to surmount them, where there's a will, there's a way. >> i believe what we are discussing is doable, feedable. i think it's important to first define political goals, what

david cameron does, what i do, freedom of movement. i am a great champion of freedom of movement but if we were to see and let me be very careful in my choice of words, if we were to see because there is a suit pending before the european court of justice that there will be a public hearing on this, if we were to do so that freedom of movement has as a consequence that each and everyone who's seeking a job in europe has a possibility to come to germany and will an equal amount of social benefits as someone who for a long time has been unemployed, in germany, after 30-40 years of work, gets a certain level of social benefits, then that would not be the interpretation of freedom of movement that i would have, so that's what we need to see. is immigration into social

security publicly, is it there. no country in europe will be able to expan withstand such an onslaught. that is just as much of a headache for us in germany as it is for the british people. now we have to look at it. can we change four german laws to address this or do we need more specify case as what we mean by freedom of movement. if we say we want freedom of movement for jobs but no immigration into the social security systems in europe, then i think we need to come to this is the way we proceed. it has something to do with fact that we are members of the euro

area, britain isn't and doesn't want to. if that is acceptable, one can find solutions for the different requests. if you'd look at the fact that we have a majority of the e.u. members as members in the euro area, as with banking, we have to look closely at dealing with those countries that don't have a say, because they're not members. you must not have a systemic disadvantage. all these issues need to be addressed openly and candidly. it's not a piece of cake. it's going to be a loss of work. we've worked hard on other issues. if one wants britain to remain in the european union which is what i want, one wants a competitive union that generates growth, one can find common

solutions. >> she's speaking without a microphone, which means i don't hear her. >> a letter to commit all candidates for european candidates of the conservative party to not drawing a group in the european parliament that will have the deutch land as a member. conservative members of the european parliament are not in the same group as for example groups for deutch land, that they are not in the same group. >> the conservative parties very successful group, i'm very proud of the creation of the group and they'll remain members of that group. in terms of the parties that are going to join that, we have a sister party in germany and not looking for a new sister party, so i don't anticipate that

situation arising at all. i said if angela wants to join our group, she's always welcome. [ laughter ] >> my candidates will all be members of the e.c.h. -- e.c.r., we're not looking for new german sister parties in that group. i think it's a pretty clearance there. >> quite frankly we haven't even started the election campaign, let alone have it behind us. i'm fighting for the c.u.c., c.d.u., i'm very pleased to hear david say labeling us sister party. we see the same for the conservative party here. to be strong, as david helps me is support. >> i just ask you northern

ireland, some people want to know whether you think the process itself of handing out these letters was a dreadful mistake or a necessary compromise for the peace process. chancellor merkel, is it true you think of david cameron as a naughty nephew who you'd like to help and the biggest bit of help he might want is a categorical assurance that there will be a fundamental treaty ready for him to put to the british people by 2017, is that a realistic time table? can you give that assurance. >> let me take the question and otherwise them. the mistake and it was a dreadful mistake, was for mr. downey to be sent a letter being told he was not wanted for particular crimes when he still was. that was a dreadful mistake and that's what i said in the house of commons. i think it's such a dreadful mistake that we need to make absolutely sure that other

letters weren't sent in error and that's why there's not going to be the ombudsman inquiry, but the general inquiry i announced. i think that's important. in terms of the process, very difficult decisions were taken around the time of the good friday agreement and peace process and as an incoming prime minister, i don't want to unpick or call into question all those difficult decisions that were made. i want to be a prime minister who helps deliver to all institutions in ireland continued peace and progress. i want to be clear that these letters were not and should be not any form of amnesty and that's what the -- that's why this report is so important. >> allow me, if i may, to point out how our cooperation actually works. we sit in european council, 28

heads of government, and there is anonymity. it is only if all say yes. we stand up for our own interests. i do it, david does it and the other 26, too. that's something we have to live with. then the task, as always, weighing the pros and cons of a compromise that by nature we have to enter into. we as representatives of our country, can we responsible say the pros and consist, and i will accept it, david will accept it and all the others, too. a lot of hot potatoes have been solved in this way by us, and dealt with by us, and so our cooperation is part and parcel of the overall european cooperation. for me it's a matter of course that david stands up for the u.k.'s interests and for him it

is a martyr of course that i stand up for germany's interest. we've always found a solution in the end. >> you are almost received by the queen of europe, such a red carpet treatment is very rare or other european leaders. you were surprised and how do you deem with the expectations which enter into that? >> i was received in a country that already has a queen and can justly be proud of having a queen. i'm very much looking forward incidentally to having tea with the queen. i actually used a royal blue blazer in order to off set that against the red carpet. >> thank you very much for coming. >> you're watching aljazeera. we were just listening in to a press conference held by the

german chancellor angela merkel as well as the u.k. prime minister david cameron, the two leaders speaking just a few moments ago in 10 downing street in london in the u.k. here's just a few of the highlights of what they said. they spoke about a range of international issues, including britain's tie the with the european union and suggested reforms by the u.k. to the e.u. before a referendum on britain says membership. they spoke about the northern secreti r.a. deals. on the issue of ukraine, cameron said that britain supports a united and democratic ukraine and every country should respect the sovereignty. he's particularly concerned about the situation in crimea and said russia should respect the territorial integrity of the country and the world will be watching. angela merkel on the issue of ukraine said germany will be doing everything it can to support the new government and

reiterating what cameron said about the territorial integrity and germany respecting the territory of ukraine. that's what happened a few minutes ago in london. >> let's update you on the situation in the ukraine. the center of appear appears to have shifted from the capitol kiev, the other side of the story emerging in crimea. gunman have taken over a government building and prompted a russian flag. that prompted warnings to moscow not to take action. the new performy war is being played out. >> tents are being made here to turn crimea like kiev in

reverse. heavily armed men are protecting it from what they see as profoundly undemocratic forces. their supporters not so many, but they are here to tell you that they would like nothing more than russian tanks on the streets to protect them. >> american army was supported in different countries, today we support russian army, because everyone of us has relatives in russia. >> the police lines start by just a handful of uncertain looking men didn't look very impressive. the small group proves just how unimpressive it was. the point being that they wanted to tell the armed group in charge of parliament that they were with them, and that they were in control. >> so it's previous obvious exactly who's in charge here of the police lines such as it was, simply melted away as these people obviously said they wanted to hold a protest right in front of the building, which

is under the control of this apparently armed militia. at the moment, there's nobody to stop them doing more or less what they feel like. >> there are daily protestors outside the administration building. today's surprise guest, hard line russian nationalist and member of the russian parliament. he went with talks with the russian mayor in this supposedly ukrainian city. this woman can barely disguise her furry at the takeover of her country. those people from the west, we educated them, she said, they could barely read before we taught them. >> these people genuinely think they are now governed by fascist sympathizing peasants. disbanding after the shootings of protestors in kiev walk around with faces on display. behind all this is the sure knowledge that whatever aspirations the new government in kiev might have, the russians

were in crimea a long time ago. >> it's becoming obvious that ukraine is in the middle of a diplomatic proxy war between the rest and russia. you have a government which harbors aspirations for this country one day to perhaps join the european union. if that employees, it would be a european union country with a russian fleet on its southern edge. >> did this local pro russian politician think the naval forces would ever leave them? it's impossible. he said and he's almost certainly right. so is crimea on the brink of war or separation? it's hard to know, but here the russian block aren't listening to a word their new leaders in kiev have to say. >> ukrainian politicians agreed on a new interim national coalition. many challenges lie ahead, not least a looming economic crisis. we report from kiev.

>> they were supposed to be confirming a new government, but events in crimea initially overwhelmed the ukraine parliament, increasingly nervous about their overthrow of viktor yanukovych may unleash. it brought this warning from the acting president. >> anyone who tries to and i stress, anyone, to take over government buildings in ukraine's east, west, center, south and north is going to be treated as having committed a crime against the government of ukraine. >> it was an historic day in parliament, the election of a new cabinet promising that the victims of violence in independence square have not died in vain. the newly elected prime minister said that the country was on the brink of economic and political collapse, a staggering $37 billion missing from state coffers under yanukovych. >> ukraine now desperately needs

a strong government. the leaders here are battling to keep the country united and maintain law and order. they know that events could easily slip out of their control. >> some of the new cabinet may be veterans of the protest movement that they are inexperienced in parliamentary politics. seenor colleagues don't underestimate the task ahead. >> we count on the support and cooperation from the i.m.f., european union and some major powers in helping ukraine to cope with the situation. >> beyond the crisis in crimea, the ukraine government needs $35 billion in international aid to keep the economy afloat. its new ministers will be powerless without it. tim friend, aljazeera, kiev. >> as ukraine's new leadership takes shape, the post president viktor yanukovych appears to have broken his silence.

in a statement, he said he's still the head of state. his comments gave no clue as to his whereabouts. we'll be looking at the possibilities later in the aljazeera news hour. first, we go to syria and one of the deadliest attacks of the war. the army says it's killed 175 rebels in an ambush. opposition activists say the government attacked a convoy of civilians. we have more. >> these are the pictures broadcast on syrian state television that the syrian military claim show the bloody aftermath an a column of fighters. the syrian government calls them terrorists. it's reported that the ambush was spunk at down on a road in eastern guta near damascus. state t.v. broadcast footage of the moment of the attack.

>> a massive explosive booby trap. the syrian government say it was a major victory. >> our troops acted on intelligence that a group of terrorists left from the east. the armed forces managed to kill all it's speeders. the importance of this comes as we are trying to choke the terrorists. >> the free syrian army tells a very different story. they say rebel fighters were escorting civilians that needed medical attention from a besieged area. >> dozens were killed and lost. civilians were trying to get out of the country side. the attack followed with mines followed by heavy clashes using machine guns, then government forces cleared the area.

>> the attack may signal a new chapter in the conflict. >> the regime has stopped the momentum of the rebels, primarily because of the intervention of hezbollah, probably an extension of more money and material from backers like russia and iran. the regime has stopped the advance of the rebels and is even in some cases pushing them back. >> while the fighting is far from over, this attack is probably one of the deadliest in syria's three years of civil war. aljazeera. >> south korea said its northern neighbor test fired four short range missiles saying they were fired into the sea. it's three days after south korea began it's annual joint military exercises with the united states. >> britain's state controlled royal bank of scotland reported losses of $13.6 billion for last

year. $800 million was still set aside for bonuses. r.b.s. got a $75 billion bailout in the financial cries in 2008. >> a second controversial audio tape featuring the turkish prime minister has been released, he is caught telling his son to hold out for more money from a businessman in return for government incentives. he said the recording was a fake. aljazeera cannot verify the authenticity of the tapes. >> a bomber is reported to have killed 11 people in baghdad. a motorcycle carrying explosives was detonated in the shy right city district. it came after another bombing killed four people. >> a day of global action is underway to draw attention to the polite of the aljazeera journalists imprisoned in egypt, demanding the release of its staff.

they have now spent 61 days in prison, accused of having links with a terrorist organization and spreading false news. aljazeera rejects the charges. >> another journalist from the networks arabic channel has been held since august and is on hunger strike for more than a month to protest his imprisonment. across the world, media outlets and organizations are holding a day of global action to press for media freedom. we are tracking the events and developments. >> this just went completely viral, it is huge. obviously prompted by the imprisonment of our staff but now has gone well beyond that. this whole idea of media free. these are all the places where events are planned on this global day of action, 40 odd cities right around the world. watch what happens. have a look at this map, which we are going to animate on now. here it comes.

this is the hash tag, the trending map. watching the way this map evolves over the day has been amazing. will not don, this is a huge hash tag here, a lot of talk in london. what are we, 10:30 almost in the east coast, this is washington, d.c. and new york and it's starting to move to the west coast of the united states, as well. there have been over half a billion impressions of this hash tag #freeajstaff. it's potentially reached half a billion people, which is extraordinary. back down in the real world, getting into the evening here in the gulf, but still afternoon across europe and we've seen them wake up to the day of action. i talked about london, the big hash tag here, this was the square, black balloons released into the sky which carried the hash tag of course #freeajstaff. those at the protests with placards repeating the message

that journalist is not terrorism. across to paris where it was rather wet, that didn't stop the demonstration. activists from reporters without borders and amnesty international joined in holding banners of their detained colleagues. >> peaceful protests in nairobi. that is journalists and friends of the media marching through the streets of the kenyan capitol calling for the release of a staffer based in nairobi. >> this is right here in doha, all of us gathered for a silent protest. it was quite a moving moment, actually, because we all carry on with our jobs every day while our colleagues in cairo just can't. they've been in jail for over 60 days now. for a moment, we had a brief moment altogether to support them all.

special mention i've got to give to felicity in our london center. she's on holiday in the french alps. she's actually written #freeajstaff in the snow on the french alps, nicely played. if you want to see more, there's plenty of it at aljazeera.com. you can have a look at the global day of action in pictures and have a look on the right-hand side, as well, how fast this movement is going on twitter, 400 tweets a minute going down now. it's a fluid thing, isn't it. that is aljazeera.com as well the twitter account tweeting and retweeting these events, hash tag #freeajstaff to keep in touch with it's global day of action. >> incredible scenes from around the world, thank you very much. australia's qantas airlines is

cutting 15% of its workforce, 5,000 jobs, after posting half year losses of $220 million. from sydney, andrew thomas reports. >> over a 25 year career as a flight attendant, a lot of memories were gathered along with exciting moments. two weeks ago, he took volunteer redundancy. >> it is an amazing airline. if it wasn't, i wouldn't have been there 25 years. i would have left a long time ago. but it is an amazing company, amazing people. hopefully, it will find its way. >> soon, many others will be calling qantas their former employer. the airline is struggling, revealing a two hundred eleven-dollar half year loss. qantas boss announced painful changes, including cutting more than one in six of the company's staff. taking the $2 billion in cost by the end of financial year 2017

requires difficult decisions across all aspects of hour our business. today we will be reducing our employee numbers by the equivalent of 5,000 full time staff over the next three years. >> trade union leaders are furious. these job cuts are just the latest. they think the problem is poor management,ness excessive staff. >> what we say is for the airline to return to povertiability there only needs to be one redundancy and that's he himself. >> the airline is changing routes, smaller planes will fly from sidney, the aircraft fleet cut by 50. >> it has been an icon for decades. to remain, it needs to adopt to a rapidly changing commercial environment. >> as well as cutting costs and changing itself, the airline is pushing for a change in the way its regulated.

australian's government has been considered lifting restrictions on foreigners with a majority stake in the airline. the country wants the government to garb tee its debts with change from within and a change in regulation, quantity at us management thinks they can help the airline fly high once again. >> you are watching the aljazeera news hour. we have more to come, including the crisis in ukraine, plus the secret files of yanukovych, we reveal the contents of thousands of documents which could incriminate the former president. >> real madrid take a big step toward the quarter finals. details coming up.

>> these protestors have decided that today they will be arrested >> these people have chased a president from power, they've torn down a state... >> what's clear is that people don't just need protection, they need assistance.

al jazeera america. we open up your world. >> here on america tonight, an opportunity for all of america to be heard. >> our shows explore the issues that shape our lives. >> new questions are raised about the american intervention.

>> from unexpected viewpoints to live changing innovations, dollars and cents to powerful storytelling. >> we are at a tipping point in america's history! >> al jazeera america. there's more to it. >> here's a reminder of top stories. pro russian protestors seized government buildings in crimea, raising the russian flag as a challenge to the new government in kiev.

there is a new prime minister appointed. >> the syrian army has killed 170 rebels in an ambush. state television shows the attacks in eastern damascus. the opposition said she were escorting civilians when targeted. >> the global day of action is underway to highlight the aljazeera journalists imprisoned in egypt, events are being held in 40 places, including here in our newsroom calling for the protection of press freedom. >> our top story, the crisis in ukraine. viktor yanukovych has turned up in moscow saying he still is the legitimate coul ukrainian presi. >> yanukovych first left kiev six days ago. on friday, february 21. a day later, he gave a press conference in his last public appearance inside ukraine. we received reports on the weekend that he tried to fly out

of the country but was turned back. we have several reports of yanukovych sightings in crimea. he has a sea side home and luxury yacht there. there were other more outlandish reports, one saying he was in greece. there's a dark see driver in dubai who swears he picked him up this week. russia is thought to be the most likely place to be sheltering ukraine's fugitive president. let's get the latest from moscow. do you know where yanukovych is? >> they seek him here, they seek him there, they seek yanukovych anywhere. now, there is a possibility that he was in that building there. that is called the hotel ukraine, and it's possible that he was there earlier in the

week, at least that's what a russian newspaper was saying. then it's possible that he moved from there to a luxury village, or sanitary yum on the outskirts of moscow and it's possible he's still there. nobody knows for sure or they're keeping very quiet about it the russian government did confirm a certain amount. the language of it is quite interesting. it answers some questions, but also leaves some hanging slightly open. what they said is that considering president yanukovych has appealed to the russian authorities to ensure his personal security, i am in forming you that this request has been granted on the territory of the russian federation. now, does that mean he is in russia? i would say it opens with certain doubts and the that the language of that statement from

this unnamed russian source suggests that he would be granted security once he makes it to russia. i think most people are assuming that he is somewhere in russia and may not be too far from where i'm standing at the moment. >> dangerous rum blinks in crimea, the russian black sea fleet is there. they wouldn't have to do much to move military personnel in, but a pretty certain warning not to do that from the nato secretary general. >> yeah, it is a worry about russia's military capabilities. they are fairly sizeable and russia is displaying those military capabilities at the moment. vladimir putin put two of russia's four military districts on an unexpected alert that started yesterday, and that's involving some 150,000 military

personnel, ships, planes, army troops. also, some of them right up against the ukrainian border. it has drawn a rather stern warning from the secretary general of nato. >> i urge russia not oh to have take action that could escalate or create misunderstanding. i urge the new ukrainian leadership to continue its efforts to establish an inclusive political process that reflects the democratic aspirations of the entire ukrainian people and i urge all parties to step back from confrontation. >> now, whether or not russia is deliberately saber rattling to scare ukraine and its hopeful allies, russia is taking

slightly diplomatic efforts, as well, basically sending group after group of russian parliament tarians to crimea, he really to fact gather on the ground. one is a former boxer, a roar imposing stat at your. there are a number of messages coming out of moscow, not all consistent with each other, but it's up to ukraine and nate to to show the country's intentions. >> san diego with the story in ukraine, documents recovered from the former penalty's estate providing those hoping to prosecute him with vital evidence. thousands of pages were dumped in a river by viktor

yanukovych's assistant shortly before he fled. we have this report. >> it's the first time she returns sings the violent threat down on protestors by ukraine's riot police. she is a member of one of the self defense unit that are protecting the square. >> the image i will never forget are the faces of friends facing riot police. we were a small group and the police three times bigger. we had no weapons, just stones and molotov cocktails. i didn't think the police would kill ukrainians. >> victoria was wounded when a hand grenade handed next to her. now that yanukovych is gone, ukrainians are getting to know more on the men victoria helped to overthrow. >> just before leaving, the aid threw the documents in the river. there are still people diving in the freezing cold water trying to retrieve every single

document they can. >> about 40,000 documents have been moved to a guest house by a group of ukrainian journalists who are sifting through them and making them available on line for everyone to see. many more are still drying in the sauna. some of the documents reveal a lavish lifestyle and a taste for expensive furniture. others detail transbackses through a web of shadow companies and a bank belonging to yanukovych's son, alexander. >> first it was excitement, oh, my god, there are oh so many documents, what can we find. then it was astonished and shocked from the numbers of money spent here to the names we found in the documents and the company names we found in those documents. >> perhaps the most shocking document so far is this one, detailing the extent to which yanukovych was willing to go to crack down on protestors. it orders the minister of interior to employ 22,000 riot

police and special forces all around mayden, electricity, water and communications were to be shut down in the surrounding area. protestors would be engaged into a two prong battle on the edges of the squire while the trade union building considered the nerve center of the protest movement was raided. that's where victoria and herself defense united were stationed. after three of her companions died, she like many, hopes these documents will make a solid case against their former leader. aljazeera, kiev. >> now british prime minister david cameron has been discussing the situation in ukraine with german chancellor angela merkel, curveball in london. >> we are particularly concerned about the situation in crimea. every country should respect the territory yell integrity of the ukraine. russia has made at a commitment. it's important to keep their

word. the world is watching. if the people want closer ties with europe, greater trade and contacts, of course we welcome that. it is not about forcing the people to choose between russia and europe. >> angela america chemist here for just one day, during which she's due to have tea with the queen. she became the first german chancellor to address both houses of the british parliament, only the third german in history to do that. merkel spoke at length about the future of the european union. she finished in english with a message to british politicians skeptical about staying in the e.u. >> united and determined, we can serve as a model for other regions of the world. this and nothing less than this should be our common goal. i reward it as the task for our generation. in order to attain this goal, we

need a strong united kingdom with a strong voice inside the european union. >> let's go live now outside the prime minister's residence in downing street. a little earlier, we heard angela merkel in her speech to both houses of parliament saying if there were expectations of her, they were likely to be disappointed. what are or should we say were the expectations of angela merkel? >> there certainly were great expectations, angela merkel has now left downing street, gone over to buckingham palace to meet the queen. people reward her as political royalty and part of the reason david cameron did have those expectations was because he as promised if he wins the next election will have an in-out referendum, the public voting whether britain should stay inside the european union. he's saying that between now and then, he'll be able to win what he calls concessions, bringing

back more power to national governments like here in london. the expectations that he's been talking about are things like exemptions or uptouts from some european laws. angela merkel did hint that she could be prepared to see tweets to things like the freedom of movement where people can freely move to go work in our countries. she's talked about in the past changes to what benefits those kind of migrants would receive. she has stressed that they didn't have time and they certainly in her view, she didn't want to go into detail today. she's a very cunning politician. she knows exactly how far she can go and she's actually said in the press conference at downing street that countries act in their own self interests. >> on the whole, of course, though, she's also made it pretty clear that she wants and expects britain to stay inside the e.u. and work for e.u.

performs. she is perhaps the most powerful leader in europe. how much leverage does someone like david cameron have in order to sway or influence her? >> angela merkel was very poll light, saying that britain had a great tradition of democracy and paid tribute to the institutions here, but really, david cameron has very little leverage. let's not forget that angela merkel, although she appreciates david camerons commitments to free markets, she governs with social democratic party, since the left party she has to keep onboard. she knows that david cameron may not be in power come 2015, so she's not going to give much away for now. >> live outside 10 downing street, thanks. >> two years after his luxury cruise liner cop sized off an italian island killing 32 people, the captain of the costa concordia has been back on the

ship. he is charged with manslaughter. he returned to the ship at the request of his defense lawyers. what is it exactly that his defense lawyers had hoped to achieve by bringing him back to the ship? >> he has gained permission to rebored the ship from the italian judges overseeing the trial. he will be able to add important technical information and help the experts carrying out an inspection onboard the ship. they were looking particularly at an emergency power generator which was supposed to power lifts and help to lower life boats on the night of the ship wreck, wimp allegedly did not work that night. when he came back to score, having spent four hours aboard the costa concordia spoke and said that his presence onboard

the ship was really quite vital. >> i went on the ship as a commander to give my technical contribution to the technical team and i provided precise information, which i believe will be useful for the final outcome of the investigation. investigation will then determine the various responsibilities and how these must be divided. there are those who have already plea bargained. i'm here today and undergoing trial, so before you say the guilty one or the one responsible, i'm doing this. >> the ship's been there, of course for quite a long time now. what do the residents say? residents are really divided. they have seen the ship here for more than two years. some say he shouldn't have come back at all, that anything he could have added to the investigation should have been added by now. others say the blame perhaps shouldn't be squarely laid on

his shoulders and other people held to account. five people have already reached plea bargains over this case. he mentioned when he came ashore that he didn't want to answer questions about emotion or how he felt about revisiting the ship. he said that would be irresponsible journal i and only wanted to answer questions for the reason he was onboard answering technical questions for the experts. for the people here on the island, the emotion of the tragedy is very hard to escape. >> thanks, kim. >> that's all from europe for this news hour. back to you in doha. >> aljazeera's calling this a day of action, demanding the release of their staff in egypt. around the world and each day, journalists face all kinds of dangers. mexico has become one of the most deadly places for

reporters. in the eastern states of veracruz, 10 reporters have been murdered in just three years. aljazeera's david mercer cent there and sent this report. >> journalists take to the streets in mexico city following the murder of jiminez. he is the latest victim in a series of killings that have shocked journalis across the country. >> dozens of reporters have fled the state of veracruz to save their lives. it has become synonymous with death for journalists. >> just one day after police found his decapitated body, the state attorney general's office announced that he was killed because of a personal vendetta. they rejected any possible connection with his work. his widow believes her husband was targeted because of a series of reports he was working on looking into human trafficking and kidnapping.

>> how can the government tell me this isn't related to his work? everything's related. it's hard to believe he had to pay with his life in order to support me and my children. >> now authorities appear to have changed their minds. >> the state government here is finally responding to pressure both internationally and here within mexico. on tuesday, the governor replaced the state's attorney general. the man in charge of investigating guy i can't's murder. >> while the new attorney general wasn't available at a time of aljazeera's visit, he spoke to us on the telephone. when asked about the dangers faced by journalists in the state, he said i don't share that opinion. it's due to an unfortunate media distortion. we treat every case the same. what we're looking for is the truth, whatever that may be. his final resting place homicide the truth for some journalists

here. a lonely grave sat in a dusty cemetery, a solemn ry reminder t in this part of mexico, journalists are often alone. >> let's get the view from a journalist. a mexican journalist is living in compile in canada, the winner of the press freedom award. you know first hand the way journalists are pressured to not report the news. you're living in compile in canada for exposing corruption in mexico. talk to us about the state of press freedom in the country and if the government is doing enough toe protect journalists. >> well, thank you for the invitation. yes, the problems in mexico still persist despite the government saying there is no more violence against

journalists. there's a reality, and the harassment and disappearance of journalists, there's a huge number of journalists like myself. 45 journalists going into compile. >> luis. i'm sure you've seen the global day of action that's been underway today, that's to highlight the case of the journalists being held in egypt about the rights of journalists around the world. >> now we have seen a shift in the threats against journalists around the world. in the past, we know that some return of regimes have some mechanisms like assassination, arrest, or censorship against journalists, but now as we have

seen in last two years, there's an increasing number of democratic established governments who are using software to intrude communications of journalists, infiltrate or surveillance, put under surveillance some journalists because of the job they are doing, exposing things that the government, they don't want to be exposed. i think. >> because of that pressure, and because of the challenges and pressures that you highlight, does that affect how and if stories are covered? >> of course they are, you have to be extremely careful in your physical security, and cyber security to some extent. >> luis, thank you for that,

speaking to us from toronto in canada. >> let's get a sport update. >> chelsea missed the opportunity to take a big step toward the champion league quarter finals, held to a draw. failing to score against his former club, got a valuable away goal for chelsea, but second half goal in turkey enassured this last contest remains wide open. 1-1 the final score. >> following his league suspension real madrid, back in the lineup, he completed dominated in germany. final score 6-1 to real. >> in london to take on one of the standout last 32 fixtures, a

1-0 lead heading into the second leg. also managed by a former spurs man, who won the league cup in 2008. >> afghanistan lost their first ever game in the asia cup, making they are debut against pakistan. they won the toss and restricted the defending champions to 248 for eight of their 50 overs. in reply, they were eventually bowed out for 176, pakistan winning by 72 runs. >> defending champion djokovic is through to the semi finals of the dubai championships. he'll face roger federer or nicholas russell in the last four. they play a little later.

top seed advanced to the quarter finals of the mexican open in acapulco. 7-6-6-2 sets up a final meeting with the south african. >> oklahoma city thunder suffered their third straight nba loss sips the all-star break. they were beaten by the cavaliers. kyrie irving scored 13-41 points in the fourth quarter to help cleveland win 114-104 against the thunder. >> children from poor neighborhoods in south africa are being introduced to a sport thought by many to be one for the privileged few. we report from johannesburg. >> these children in south africa are learning the basics,

coming from poor familles who can't afford private lessons or the equipment needed to practice. thanks to donations, a 10-year-old is this year's national champion in her age group. she's also competed in europe. >> it's nice, and not dangerous. >> fencing in south africa is an unconventional sport in many communities. he has only been fencing for about a week. for him, it is not only fun, but keeps him out of trouble. >> there are many bad things that happen with this group. others are stealing in parts. you hang out with the wrong people. my friends and i hear about this from school. we were curious, and so far, so good. >> joseph started this club.

he visits schools encouraging children to join but he said some teachers and parents think fencing is dangerous and disdiscourage children from participating. it's overseen by some as a sport usually played by rich white people. >> when you walk around, they say what's that dress code? ait's for fencing. yes, i do fencing. the problem is there's no problem. all we have to do is send the message and give it a try, everyone come join. >> african professional fencers have competed in the olympics and other global competition. he dreams of winning a olympic gold medal. she believes with practice, anything is possible. aljazeera, johanns power. >> that is all the sport for now. >> thank you very much. just stay with us right here. we're back in just a moment and we'll have a full bulletin of news coming your way.